"I won't lower my head to destiny. I know I have guts," sings Meng Meiqi on her song "Helios." Part of the soundtrack for Chinese sci-fi film "The Wandering Earth," the lyrics imply a thrilling story.
Adapted from Hugo Award winner Liu Cixin’s novel of the same name, the movie depicts human beings trying to find a new home for Earth after learning the solar system is dying out.
A poster for “The Wandering Earth”. /Photo via the film's official Sina Weibo account
The film is shot by a Chinese crew and stars a Chinese cast. “We made our own sci-fi film,” said Wu Jing at the film's press conference, best known for directing and acting blockbuster “Wolf Warrior 2.” Others in the cast include Qu Chuxiao, Li Guangjie, and Hong Kong Film Awards winner Ng Man-tat.
“Film and novel are totally different, as they follow different artistic rules,” said Liu Cixi at the press conference, referring to the first work visualizing his novel. “I think the main creators of a film are director, playwright and producer. As the original author, I should give them utmost trust and freedom.”
Liu also said he expected the film to “present a grand sci-fi idea through visual images.”
A poster for “The Wandering Earth”. /Photo via the film's official Sina Weibo account
The film aroused great interest among sci-fi fans and people at large.
Its first day of pre-sales exceeded 10 million yuan (1.5 million U.S dollars) on Taopiaopiao, one of China's largest online ticket services.
The film is scheduled to debut on February 5, the second day of the Spring Festival holiday.